Pros and Cons of a Wheelchair Lift for Your Vehicle

Your wheelchair is critical to your independence and mobility. With your chair, you’re able to move freely and safely at home. Vehicle wheelchair lift installation in Louisiana extends that freedom beyond your home and lets you enjoy being out and about with friends and loved ones.

Benefits of a Wheelchair Lift

Power wheelchair lifts for cars, SUVs, and vans provide the following benefits:

Convenience

A vehicle wheelchair lift allows you to take your power chair wherever you go. With the help of a lift, you can easily take your mobility device to the doctor, to the mall, to the park, or to visit your friends. Just load your chair onto the hitch or platform, and you’re ready to go anywhere. Life in a wheelchair is full of inconveniences; bringing the chair along with you doesn’t need to be one of them.

Ease

A wheelchair lift makes taking your power chair with you easy. Wheelchairs, especially electric models, as heavy. Without a vehicle lift, you might need to travel with a manual powered chair, which can greatly impact your independence. With the help of a lift, getting your heavy chair into or onto a car is easy. With one switch, you or your caregiver can operate the lift and secure your chair for transport.

Safety

Wheelchair lifts provide safety in a number of ways. First, having your personal mobility device with you when out and about helps keep you safe. Second, wheelchair lifts protect your expensive mobility assist. And third, automatic lifts protect caregivers from injuring themselves while attempting to lift a heavy chair into a car or van.

Mobility

It’s been mentioned already, but it’s worth mentioning again. An automatic wheelchair lift for your car, truck, or van allows you to bring your device with you on the road. Reliance on a wheelchair needn’t exclude you from spending time with friends and family away from home. Easy-to-operate lifts give you the freedom to get out there.

 

Are There Any Drawbacks?

While our enthusiasm for the many benefits of automatic wheelchair lifts for cars and vans knows no bounds, are there any drawbacks you need to consider before purchasing and installing a wheelchair auto lift in Louisiana?

Cost

Wheelchair lifts aren’t prohibitively expensive, but the device and the required professional installation are cheap either. The team at Louisiana Stairlifts is here to answer all your questions about pricing, financing, and the possibility of insurance or Medicare reimbursement.

Space

Wheelchair lifts take up space. Internal lifts will reduce the amount of passenger space available in the vehicle. External lifts will extend the dimensions of the car, making it difficult to fit comfortably in many garages and parking spaces.

While these drawbacks are real and need to be managed, we believe the pros far outweigh the cons. Talk to a member of our team about ways to mitigate these drawbacks and get the most benefit from your vehicle wheelchair lift.

 

Trust Louisiana Stairlifts

It’s our mission at Stairlifts of Louisiana to help all our clients move more freely. Chairlifts, elevators, ramps, and platform lifts make moving around the home independently easier for people of all ages and abilities. Vehicle lifts help folks with scooters or wheelchairs move more freely in the world. Nothing makes us happier than making your life easier. Call us today at (504) 446-6191 for more information about the many mobility options we offer. Let us help you get moving.